Saving One-Another
by 3DPhantom
Summary: He was abused, abandoned, and he had next to no hope. The worst of it was that after his parents died, little Richard John Grayson was adopted by a deranged clown known as The Joker. Now, the only thing holding Dick to life was Batman and, after a painful journey in a detention cell, his new father Bruce Wayne. Disclaimer: I don't own anything but myself. 'Rated T' for child abuse.
1. Chapter 1 - Loss and Ruin

A/N: Good news for you, I have a three day weekend full of thunder storms. It's the perfect way to inspire me to write. So, here is a sad one for you with a few happy, touching moments and a loving man.

Chapter 1 – Loss and Ruin

A/N: For those of you that know how the Flying Grayson's end came about, you can skip this first chapter.

*Dick's POV*

I watched as Mr. Haley spoke angrily with a man. I was hiding behind a trailer, watching as the man poked Mr. Haley's chest. Mr. Haley took out his phone and the man's face turned hard. He said a few more words and left. Mr. Haley put his phone away and walked to the ten.

I didn't think much of it, and ran back to my trailer.

"Dick, where have you been? You know not to run around during the preparations for the performance, you'll get in the way," My mom said, turning towards the trailer, "Now come inside."

I walked in and saw my Mami and Tati getting dressed in their tights. I grabbed a bag and began to get ready.

The circus was full, and Mama, Tati and I walked to our places. We had the acrobatics act, and we were the Flying Graysons. As I walked to the platform, I saw a man checking the wires. As I looked closer, I realized it was the same man Mr. Haley was talking to before. I decided I should tell mama.

"Hey, mami," I said tugging her arm.

"Not now Dick, it's time to go on."

"But mom."

"Alright Dick, go," she said, pushing me out into the bright lights. I smiled and waved, I could always tell her later.

I climbed the ladder behind my father, who was already preparing to jump out onto the trapeze. I reached the top, my mother right behind me. Next, my mom jumped out, my dad catching her gracefully.

My mom and dad preformed for a few minutes, doing all sorts of dangerous flips. As always, there was no net. My Mami swung closer, stretching out her arms. I was about to jump out in the air when I heard a sudden snap. I ducked as a wire sniped, clutching the side of the platform.

"Dick!" My mom called out, and I reached for her. A second later the other wire snapped, and I missed my mother's hand. And well, basically, they just fell. And suddenly, I was alone.

A/N: Again, this is a really quick summary of how Dick's parents died, not my best work. The next chapter is better, I think. Hope you liked and please review.


	2. Chapter 2 - Acquisition of the Lost Boy

Chapter 2 – Acquisition of the Lost Boy

-Joker's POV-

"HAAA HAAA HAHA" I just couldn't stop laughing! Ah, the look on the kids face as they fell! I pounded on the TV screen, enjoying the sound of my laughter.

"What's so funny Putin?" Harley asked, and I turned to her.

"Well, you see, there's this acrobatic kid, who lives in an acrobatic family, and his parents fall to their deaths. Now the funny part is, the kid's still alive! HA ha ha ha ha!" I stopped laughing for a moment. "I wonder Harley, what kind of things we can mold with a kid. Hey Harley!" I said, spreading my arms wide, "What do ya say? Wanna make a family?"

"Oh Putin, I would love to!"

"Good!" I said cutting her off "Then go get dressed, we have a kid to adopt and papers to forge."

Oh, how I loved the sight of Death in my future. Not my death, of course.

=Narration=

Harley let blonde hair fall over her shoulders, a pale pink dress over her skin. She grabbed the papers and headed out.

Now why her Putin would want to actually adopt the kid was unclear to her. She was too stupid to see that this way, no one would look for the kid, and if the kid escaped, he would be returned, right to their doorstep.

Harley got out of the car and strolled through the front doors of Gotham's Orphanage. The lady at the front desk looked up.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"Of course, you see I was watching the news the other day, and I saw that poor boy's parents fall and die, I was wondering, has he been adopted yet?"

The lady looked at her, Harley giving her an award-winning smile. "Uh, no, Dick Grayson is still here. I'll need to see some identification first please." Harley took out a driver's license "Jezebel Spade?" The receptionist asked.

"That's me!" Harley said with another large smile.

"Well then, here is a form of the paperwork you need."

"I already have it!" The lady grabbed the papers as she walked out from behind the desk.

"Everything seems in order, you are very prepared. Right this way then."

Harley couldn't wait to get out of these clothes. She looked to nice and pretty.

"Here we are" and a door was opened. Inside was a cafeteria, full of kids. Harley walked forward and spotted the kid by the far wall, eating in the corner. Harley strolled up casually.

"Hey there Pumpkin," She said with a smile. The small boy looked up, startled.

"Dick" the Receptionist said, "This is Ms. Jezebel, she is going to take you home, Okay?"

Dick looked up, and Harley was surprised when he spoke. "Hello Ms. Jezebel, it's nice to meet you," he said, standing and sticking his hand out. Harley grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically. "And it's very nice to meet you as well Dick!"

Harley and the kid walked out of the building not thirty minutes later. The kid sat in the front seat of the car, just staring out the window. Harley got in on the other side.

"So, were do you live?" Dick asked.

"Shut up kid. I have no pleasure in talkin to you!" Harley said, putting on the gas.

_'So it's going to be like that'_ Dick thought, mentally sighing. He wasn't dumb; he knew that some kids got adopted by people who looked nice until no one was around. He just hoped that she wasn't too crazy.

Sadly, he would soon know just how bad this situation was.

A/N: Good? Bad? Please Review. I request that at least every 10 Views have a Review.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Small and Broken

Chapter 3 – The Small and Broken

*Dick's POV*

Ms. Jezebel drove down the road, finally stopping in front of an old warehouse. "Wanna meet your new dad?" She asked with a strange smile. I didn't smile back. I was starting to get worried, I knew from what she said when I got in the car that she wasn't going to treat me right, or even try to be my mom. But now, I was picking up large levels of lunatic, which in this situation, was not at all funny.

We walked into the warehouse, and it was completely dark. She told me to wait by the door and not to move. A few minutes later, the lights flicked on. I closed my eyes and slowly started to open them. I gasped as I looked and saw Harley Quinn, her face not two inches from mine.

"Hi there Pumpkin!" She said. I stared, my mouth hung open.

"Ms. Jezebel?" I asked.

"Well, not exactly sugar, but you get the idea."

"Why did you adopt me?" I was really confused now.

"Well for me, of course!" A hi-pitched voice sang loudly. I looked behind Harley and saw the Joker, walking forward with his arms wide. "What do ya say, A hug for your new dad?" Joker said, standing with his arms wide.

"No thanks, I don't like crazy-cards." I said seriously. On the inside I was smiling at myself for making a smart remark about his affiliations with a deck of card's Joker.

He frowned for a moment, but let his arms fall and smiled creepily. "You know kid; I didn't expect you to be so sociable."

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Well, considering that you murdered your own parents and all, I assumed that you would be a bit gloomy. Still, I like you better this way, a murderous kid who doesn't regret death and can crack a joke too. You'll be the perfect Protégé for me!"

"What makes you think I'll help you?!"

"Oh, trust me kid. When I'm done, you'll be just like me." He came forward, and I backed into the wall. "When I'm done with you, you'll either be me, or you'll be dead." He smiled his face an inch from mine. "Shall we begin?"

A/N: No, the chapter isn't over yet, I wouldn't make it that short! I hope. Anyways, just wanted to say, Finally, I'm a put some Batman in! Well, here it goes.

^In the Batcave^

"Alfred, The Joker has been seen in Central Gotham. Reports say he received a shipment of Gunpowder, Gasoline, and other key ingredients for bombs. He also received a small order of Chloroform."

"Going out then Sir?" Bruce turned and pulled his cowl on. "I'll prepare for the worst."

Bruce, now Batman, simply nodded. Alfred watched as he drove away in the Bat-mobile.

_He is too stubborn and to silent. I only wish he would find a real friend, or reach out every once in a while. An aggressive crime-fighting life should not be his only life. _Alfred thought, shaking his head. Batman had gotten less careful and would hurt the villains in new ways. Alfred often found that now a-days, the criminals were receiving more cruel punishment then Justice. The worst part, Alfred was the only one who had a chance of knowing why. He suspected the Batman had grown lonely, and that fake friends and a Butler were not enough for Bruce Wayne. Even the fake smiles of Bruce Wayne were rare now, and he seemed more… lonely. Alfred's guess was that he wanted to be alone, and that he wanted to die alone as well.

So Alfred stood and watched, knowing that there was little or nothing he could do. _The criminals should just give up if they know what's best for them._

^ Batman's POV^

I arrived at the docks, just in time to see a large van driving off, and Joker shutting the back doors. I decided to follow him, figure out where he was holding up. I drove for about half an hour before we came to an old warehouse. Harley Quinn parked the van inside, the doors closing behind them.

I parked the Bat-mobile in an alley across the street and took to a rooftop. Soon I was standing on the warehouse, looking in from a missing plate in the roof.

"Take it down boys! And don't forget, little J is in isolation, so don't disturb him too much." The Joker said to his two large goons.

"Aw, come on now sweet-cheeks. The little J has been in there for a whole week! I'm sure he won't try anything now!" Harley said, hugging Jokers shoulder.

"Are you questioning me?! I don't care how long he's been in there, besides; it'll help him in training." Joker replied.

By now I had caught on that Joker had some new goon, but I would deal with him later. Right now, I had a ton of supplies for bombs in the hands of a madman to keep me busy.

I found my way around back, and then made it inside. Joker's goons came out of a tunnel going down, and once they were clear, I moved in. I came into a large room, full of Oil tanks, C4 crates, and other various items. I decided would be easiest to just blow the place sky-high. There was no currently used buildings close by, and the warehouse was on a wooden dock over the water. If anything, the warehouse would fall in the water, automatically putting out the fire. It was also Joker, so I didn't care what happened to him, and if he fell in the water, he could swim out and I would catch him.

So, I took out a small devise and set it's time for five minutes, enough for everyone to get out. I set it on an oil-drum and turned away. I stopped when I heard a small noise. I heard the small beeping from the device, Joker talking above… and breathing. I walked towards a gathering of crates.

I stopped, surprised by what I saw. There, on the floor, was a small boy. The kid breathed heavily, and I took out a small light. It was dark in the room, and as I turned the light on I saw the kid had black hair and was very small. His arms and legs were as thin as pencils, and his hair hung in his face. I brushed his hair aside, taking note of how it clunk so his skin with blood and sweat. It was a cold night, but as I felt the boy's head, I could tell he was burning up. He was sick, and it looked deadly. His bottom lip was split and his pale skin was covered in burses. He was lying on his side, and I lifted his chin.

Looking at him, I now saw that he looked starved and like he could freeze to death. He could just die right here. As I listened to his breaths, I picked up on signs of Chloroform. That maniac Joker must have drugged him a dozen times. Sure enough, his right arm had a lot of shot-marks. Not only had Joker given him Chloroform, but he had injected it.

The time on the clock now said two minutes, and it wasn't resettable. I cut his bindings that held his wrists and ankles. Carefully, I tried to lift him. He was so light I could easily have thrown him across the wide room. As I stood with him, he gave out a small cry of pain. I carefully clamped my hand lightly on his mouth, looking towards the door. Up above, Joker was still talking to the others and the TV was turned on. I quickly started walking to the doors.

As I neared, the doors flew open, and the boy whimpered as I stumbled back.

"Ah, Batsy! I'm glad you're here! I see you've met my little J, I'll tell you, having a son is work. I mean, you have to drive him crazy, you have to forget to feed him, you have to catch him when he runs away, and the list goes on and on!" Joker said rambling.

"This factory blows in less than a minute." I said sternly. Joker looked at me surprised. "If you let me walk out with him," I said nodding to the boy "I'll let you run to be caught another night, for now though…" I said, running past Joker. Joker looked down to the basement, then ran away screaming. I wanted so badly to cut off his annoying high-pitched scream with a punch to the face, but there was no time for that now.

I jumped into the Bat-mobile, the boy crying out in pain with the haste, and drove off as the warehouse exploded.

A/N: Please Review! If you like it, and tell me, I have plans for a sequel. Even so, this isn't done yet!


	4. Chapter 4 - Understandings

Chapter 4 – Understandings

^Batman/Bruce^

A/N: I say Bruce a lot here and not Batman to symbolize that his emotions are showing through. Yes, he is dressed as Batman and in the Bat-mobile.

But he couldn't relax yet. Bruce looked over to the boy sitting next to him. With the large amounts of Chloroform still in his system, the boy was beginning to murmur. He was sweating and pale, and he was very sick. Bruce willed the bat-mobile to go faster, knowing that the kid only had minutes to live, if that.

Halfway to the Batcave, the kid's breathing increased dramatically, his head tossing. By the time they reached the Batcave, the boy would scream in pain in the slightest movements. As he went to lift him, the boy cried out, and as he walked, continuous screams of pain streamed. Bruce felt the light pressure of the small body in his hands and worried. The kid was panting now, asphyxiating.

"Alfred!" He called, setting the boy on the table.

The elevator opened, and Alfred ran out. "My word, what is this, what's the matter with him?" Alfred asked, coming to the table.

"He is sick and has large amounts of chloroform in his system." Bruce said shortly while taking off his cowl. The Boy was still tossing his head and shaking violently, his skin cool and white as stone.

Alfred and Bruce froze as all signs of movement ended. The heavy breathing was replaced with silence and the eyes that had been frantic under their lids sat still. Bruce looked to Alfred and Alfred stared back.

"Sorry kid." Bruce said, hastily walking to a drawer. "This is going to hurt," He continued pulling out a large syringe and long needle.

"Adrenalin?" Alfred asked, frowning. Bruce just nodded and proceeded to the boy's side. He took hold of the needle like a knife and stabbed it into the boy's chest, right through to the heart.

The boy suddenly withered and screamed. Bruce pulled the syringe out and tried to hold the boy still. The boy's eyes suddenly looked straight forward and focused, he stopped moving for a second; staring at the ceiling. Then, without warning, the boy kicked his legs up over his head and gracefully flipped onto his feet. He now stood at the head of the small table. He began to back away.

"Cine eşti tu şi unde sunt?!" He called, still backing away.

Bruce looked to Alfred, then back at the boy, "Um, I'm sorry, I don't understand."

The boy nodded, "Um… Who are you and where am I?" He asked, a little quietly and sheepish. He looked down and up from the ground, only glancing at me.

"Who am I and where are you? Well…" Bruce said, frowning. His cowl was down and he was Bruce Wayne, standing in a cave, dressed as a bat, which equals not good. Fortunately for him, it was dark in the room, and he didn't know that the kid wouldn't be able to really see his face.

Bruce frowned deeper and hunched his back, stalking forward he said "It's none of your business and not your right," he said menacingly. Bruce glared at him, stopping not far from the boy. The boy shrunk back, bumping into a wall and cowering. "Now, the real question is, who are you?" Bruce asked, still glaring.

"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry," he said on the verge of tears, "I-I-I just want to leave."

Bruce sighed and stood straight, his voice lightening and becoming less threatening. "All-right, where do you need to go?" Bruce asked, walking to the Bat-computer and pulling up his cowl.

The boy looked down at his feet. "I-I don't know. I-I just want to leave."

"Did you run away from home?" Alfred asked kindly.

"N-No, I-I J-Just W-Went with her and She-She took me to my new home B-But now I wake up here, and I-I don't want to stay, but I—can't go back, I don't want to." He said, stuttering more as his tears now spilled down his face.

"Stop crying," was the only harsh thing Batman could say.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I just want my Mami and T-Tati," He said, breaking out into full-forced sobs, sliding to the floor, and hugging his knees.

Alfred walked over to him and kneeled down, "Young boy, how old are you again?"

"I-I'm eight," He whispered when his sobs calmed a little. J still hid his face in his knees.

"And before, you mentioned a woman taking you to a new home. Tell me, what was the home you were coming from?"

"T-the circus."

"The circus? Very interesting; now tell me, who was this woman?" Batman listened and started searching for who the boy may be.

"W-Well, I thought she was a nice lady, she says her name was Jezebel. But, when we got to the place, and she came back to get me, she wasn't Ms. Jezebel." He stopped and shuddered, picking his head up off his knees and holding his arms. His head was still hung and his hair was in his face.

"Then who was she?"

"I- I remember seeing her on the news," he started to reply thoughtfully, "Her-Her name was Harley or something. She took me to this crazy guy, Joker, and he said I would grow up to be just like him." He said lifting his head to rest his knees on his chin. His eyes looked to the side and down.

Bruce stopped typing. On the computer, Bruce had pulled up an article on a circus that was in town. The article talked about a family of acrobats who all fell and died, all but one. Bruce turned and looked at the boy. When he said he wanted his parents, he wasn't just being young or weak. It identified him as Richard (Dick) J. Grayson.

Bruce walked over and looked down on him. "Let me get this straight," He said. "Your parents died, and Harley Quinn adopted you so you could become the Jokers Protégé. Then Joker beat you and left you to die when you tried to escape. Now, you're here, in critical condition, and I have to take care of you?"

He looked up at Bruce. "No," he said standing, "just tell me how to get back to the city." He stood tall now, holding strength in his eyes, as much as he had anyways. His eyes still showed exhaustion.

Alfred stood and looked at Bruce, then back to the kid. "Master Bruce, please," he begged, he didn't want the child to go.

But Bruce also didn't want the kid to stay. (For his own reasons.)

After a minute of silence, Bruce nodded. "Fine Alfred, take him upstairs and find him a room. Feed him and give him medicine for his fever. Oh, and one more thing," Bruce turned to the kid. "If you ever speak of this to anyone, you'll regret it." Alfred frowned as Bruce turned away.

"Come then sir and I'll show you to a room." Alfred said. Dick nodded and walked with him.

Bruce watched over his shoulder as they disappeared into the elevator. He slammed his hand on the desk once they were gone. One thought crossing his mind. _Joker is going to pay for this!_

A/N: Oh, did you see the little bit of caring in that last creepy thought? He's angry! Anyways, I hope you liked it. Please Review! Also, tell me if I should go along with the sequel when I'm done here. It's a little early for judgment about a second, but please keep it in mind. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5 - Tough Living

Chapter 5 – Tough Living

^At the Manor^

Batman had found no luck in discovering where Joker was hiding. He sighed as morning came along; finding Joker would have to wait. He radioed Alfred to get the kid ready and bring him down to the cave.

Five minutes later, the boy walked in with Alfred. He had dark circles under his eyes, but for the most part, his skin had more color to it and he walked with less of a stager and more strength.

Batman walked over to the Bat-mobile. The sun was still down, so he decided he would take the kid to Commissioner Gordon. "Get in," was all he said to the kid.

Dick gracefully flipped into the car (doing the flip because there were no doors) and strapped his seatbelt. Batman reached over and put a blindfold on him. "Listen, whatever happens, you can't talk about this to anyone." The boy nodded.

They drove in silence, the boy staring down the entire time. They waited on the rooftop, the sun just barely rising over the horizon. Batman took off the blindfold as the Commissioner came out for a smoke.

The Commissioner jumped as he realized Batman standing behind him, "Geez, I hate it when you do that," he said, then turned and looked at the kid, "and who is that?"

"His name is Dick Grayson," Batman replied, harshly pushing the boy forward, "he was adopted by Harley Quinn in disguise."

Gordon's eyes went wide, "I'll uh look into it," he said, looking down as the boy neared him. Gordon looked up again, and to his surprise, Batman was still there, walking toward him and Dick. Silently, he took off his cape and handed it to Dick. Dick stared wide-eyed as the cape was placed in his hands. Still silent, Batman turned and jumped over the edge of the building.

Gordon looked at the kid, "Well, that was… strange," Gordon said, looking back to where Batman had jumped over the edge.

Gordon was surprised as the kid spoke, "Why?" was the only thing he had to say.

"Well," Gordon hesitated, "I'd say that means you'll see him, again." Dick looked confused, but nodded. Gordon led him inside.

*Dick's POV*

I waited in the lobby of the police department for at least a couple of hours. Mr. Gordon was filling out some paperwork while I sat there waiting for him to finish. All the while, I sat there alone. The only thing that I had left was my clothes, and a promise. The Commish said that Batman was kind of funny, and he didn't like to show any emotions, except anger. He said that Batman giving me his cape was something he had never seen before. He told me that Batman gave me his cape, most likely as a promise that he would come back for both his cape, and for me.

So now I sat there, holding the only thing I had left. Joker had burned all of my other things, the stuff that I had from my past life, the only life so far where I was happy, when I lived with my parents. Oh, how much I missed them.

As I sat there holding the cape, I listened to murmurs. The police were talking about me and the cape.

"Hey, Mac, does that kid have Batman's cape?"

"No man, that has to be his blanket or something."

"No, that is definitely his cape."

"Well why is the kid sitting there all alone? And if that is Batman's cape, how did he get it?"

I was watching out of the corner of my eye and smiled as the Commissioner came up behind them.

"Well, isn't it obvious?" He said, startling the other two officers as they turned to him, "He killed Batman and took his cape."

The two officers looked at him startled then looked back to me. "Really?" Mac asked, obviously scared.

"No! Jeez, what are you on crack? Stop talkin about the poor boy, he's been through enough. You know he can hear you to right?" The Commish said, slapping Mac on the back of his head.

"He can hear us?"

"Well he isn't deaf!" He said, "Or did you just assume so because he sits there quietly, you know, like a kid should?" I smiled as he added emphasis on the 'Should'. "Now get back to work, jeez."

The Commissioner walked up to me. "You could hear, couldn't you?"

I turned to him with a smile, "It was kind of funny once you showed up."

Gordon smiled back, "well, the orphanage has run out of room, so you're going to stay in the Juvenile Detention Center. But don't worry; they won't treat you like a criminal."

"Okay," I said, standing to follow him. We walked out and I sat in the front of the curser with him.

The Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) was a bleak grey and brown color, the bricks were faded brown and the windows and doors had grey metal bars. "Remember Dick, I wouldn't leave you here if there was room in the orphanage. You're not in trouble." I nodded and smiled.

He walked me in and a lady greeted me behind the desk. Unlike the lady in the orphanage, she didn't smile. "This another-one to look after? How much trouble is he?" She asked in almost a manly voice.

"He won't be any trouble, he's only staying here because there is no more room in the orphanage and the JDC just got a new building for sleeping quarters. He is to be kept away from the trouble-makers and taken extra good care of, understood?" The Commissioner looked at the lady.

"Alright sir," she said looking at me. She impassively came to stand by me. She was rather short and kind of fat, but she also had muscles.

"Alright Dick, they'll take care of you here. Try to stay away from the others and don't wander around alone." With those quick instructions, Gordon patted me on the head and left.

"Okay, let's go," the lady grabbed my arm roughly and dragged me along. She took me to my 'room' which to me looked like a cell. There was a small metal bed with a sheet on it, in the corner was a toilet and sink, there was one small window, which I couldn't reach, and the window had bars.

The lady shut the metal door and locked it, leaving me alone again. I sat on the bed and thought, _am I being pushed away, off to the side because no one wants me?_ I lay down on the cold metal, pulling the thin sheet over my head. The wind blew in from the open, bared window, giving me chills. _This is going to be a long night._

I still held the cape in my arms, and, hugging it in a death grip, it helped me fall asleep.

When my room held a little light, I noticed I would only see the sun for a few minutes a day; when the sun set.

There was a knock on my door and a man came in. "Come-on, time for breakfast," he said, coming in and pulling me harshly out into the hallway.

There were a lot of kids here, all walking either with their heads down and alone or in groups looking around menacingly. I walked ahead and kept my eyes straight. I was one of the first into the blank grey cafeteria. I walked into the line and received cold oat-meal.

I went and sat at a table in the corner. Suddenly, a hand came down hard next to me. I looked up and saw a kid with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes staring down at me; he looked to be about twelve or thirteen, at-least a few years older than me. There were a few other kids around me, all looking down at me and grinning, all older and larger than me.

"Hey kid," said the first one, "You're at our table."

"Oh," I said. Not wanting to cause any trouble, I stood and tried to walk away. The boy grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to face him. I was still weak, sick, and nearly starved, so I fell off me feet when he suddenly punched me in the face. His friends all laughed and my tray hit the ground up-side-down.

I was lying on my side, and as I went to stand I received a harsh kick to the stomach. I doubled in pain, gasping for air. "What's this?" One of the boys asked, pulling at the cape.

"No!" I cried, pushing myself onto my hands and knees.

"Aw, is this your blanket?" The first boy asked, taking it from his friend. He opened it up and saw the cut-out of a bat's wings. "What is this?" He said, more to himself then anyone, a little scared now. I looked up and snatched it out of his hands, then got onto my feet. "It's a promise," I said strongly.

I looked him in the eyes and he frowned. "Next time, be more careful," he said, and sat down with the rest of his buddies. Something about the cape had scared him.

I walked to the doors of the cafeteria. The man that pulled me out of bed this morning grabbed my arm. "Come with me," he said, and pulled me out the doors and through the halls.

We came to an office area. He pushed me through a door that said "Administrator" on it, and a tall, thin, muscular woman sat behind her desk.

"Richard," she said, "You will call me Ms. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, we have a strict no fighting policy here, and what happened this morning proves that, no matter what the Commissioner says, you are a trouble maker. Now, we receive punishment here, we don't just get away with things," she said, walking up to me. She nodded, and without warning, the man grabbed me, turned me, and punched me in the stomach.

"You'll go the rest of today and tomorrow without a meal," she said, the man holding me up. She looked down at the cape in my hands. "We are also not allowed to have personal items," she said, reaching for it. I had to do something, so quickly, I flipped over the man, my hands on his shoulders for an axis point, and ran out of the room.

Once I made it to the cafeteria, I found my way to my room, remembering the path I had gone down before. I went in and closed the door, sat on my bed, and hugged the cape tightly to my chest. It was the only thing I had and no one was going to take it from me.

The man opened the door five minutes later. Upon seeing me curled into the corner on my bed, he closed and locked the door.

It had been a very rough first day, and the next one wasn't much better. I had a nightmare in the middle of the night about my parent's death and my new 'friends'. I was screaming in my sleep and woke up to the guy that woke me in the morning now punching me in the face. Now that I was awake I still cried uncontrollably. The man continued to beat me for the next hour or so. He finally stopped when I was no longer screaming, mostly because I could barely breathe at all. He told me that I had better be quiet or he would kill me next time. I breathed hard until I passed out by lack of oxygen.

After that, I sat in my room all day and listened to the ruffling of feet as the others walked to and from the cafeteria. For the most part, it was silence and hunger.

On my third day in the JDC, I listened as the others walked to the cafeteria. My sentence was supposed to have ended, but the footsteps died off and I still sat there alone. Suddenly, the man came in, smacked me upside the head so hard that I fell off the bed, and told me to follow him.

I got my breakfast and sat in silence. I had wrapped the cape tightly around my waist, my shirt going over it so no one could tell it was there. I ate the oat-meal and silently returned to my room. At dinner that night, there was a surprise waiting for me.

The Administrator and the man I now called The Warden walked into the room, everyone falling silent. The Administrator stopped at me. "Dick Grayson, you'll follow me," she said and the three of us walked out into the hallway. We were heading to the lobby when she turned on me.

The Warden grabbed my wrists and held them behind my back. Next the warden beat me until my legs gave way. "You'll never speak to anyone of your treatment here other than to say it was average or pleasurable, are we understood?" She hissed in my ear. I nodded, squinting to hold back my tears. The Warden dropped me and I collapsed. I was given a few minutes to recover. "Now get up and act happy," she said, and I continued to follow her.

I walked as if nothing were wrong, my eyes level and my walk steady. On the inside, my ribs hurt, and my head was screaming from her hitting me and throwing me into the wall a few times. We arrived in the lobby where we walked up to the receptionist and a tall man. We stopped a few feet away.

The Administrator smiled and said "Here he is," in a convincingly nice voice. I glanced up at her.

The tall man stepped forward and stuck out his hand. "Hello," he said, "I'm Bruce Wayne."

"H-Hello." I said a little quietly, shaking his hand. He looked a little familiar, but it was as if the memory of him was from a dark room.

"Mr. Wayne is going to take you home with him," The Administrator said, still acting kind. "I suggest you don't cause any more trouble."

I saw Mr. Wayne glance at me, "Trouble?" He asked.

"Oh, we had a few incidents, but it's alright, no one was too badly hurt," she replied, implying that I had hurt someone.

"Yes, well, let's go Dick." Mr. Wayne said, and it almost sounded like he was angry. Great, two minutes with him and he already dislikes me.

I started to follow him and he stopped. "Don't you have anything to take with you?" I simply shook my head and we continued outside.

Once outside, I saw a limo parked not ten feet away. I hesitated for a moment, but decided it didn't matter. I was just happy to be out of Jail.

I looked over my shoulder at the JDC, and I didn't feel any sadness, I sure Wasn't going to miss this place.


	6. Chapter 6 - Promises

Chapter 6 – Promises

A/N: No, Dick doesn't recognize Bruce as Batman or the layout of the manor. He was sick, starved, and had almost died that night, not to mention how dark it was. He doesn't connect anything to the night he met Batman. And yes, Bruce quickly figured out that the kid didn't recognize him.

*Dick's POV*

We sat in the limo in silence, at least for the first five minutes.

Finally the silence was broken. "So, Dick, what kind of trouble?" Mr. Wayne asked. I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, my head facing the other way.

"I got in a fight," I said. It was kind of true, accept for fights to occur, one person has to hit another, and that person has to hit _back._

"What kind of fight? What was it about?" He asked, obviously curious.

"Nothing." That also wasn't a lie, "fighting" over a lunch table didn't seem like _something_ so…

"Did you win?"

I turned and looked at him for a second. Was he serious?!

"No," I definitely hadn't won.

"Oh," was the last thing said the rest of the ride. We both looked out the windows in silence.

Ten minutes later, I snapped out of a daze as the car stopped. On my side there was a row of trees and a driveway. I turned to Mr. Wayne who got out of the car. I went to open the door but was surprised when it was opened for me. I stepped out and was walked to the other side of the car.

I stared up in surprise as I saw a huge mansion in front of me, as big as the circus tent.

"Welcome home Dick," Mr. Wayne said to me, smiling down at me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and walked ahead. I followed him, but the novelty was quickly replaced by the memory of where I had just been a day ago.

Bruce introduced me to an old man named Alfred. The name was familiar, but I pushed that aside. Alfred showed me a room and gave me some clothes. I took a shower and headed down for dinner.

I arrived just as Mr. Wayne did. We both sat and ate in silence while I tried getting used to my new living conditions. I was excused and went silently to my room.

That night, I had another nightmare.

_I was running from the JDC when a limo swerved and drifted to a stop in front of me. Bruce stepped out and walked up to me. With a cold look in his eyes, he knocked me to the ground. _

_When I fell, I fell onto my knees, up on top of a platform, high above the air. I looked down when I heard a familiar crack. There, far below me, was the only family I ever had. Then, Batman appeared. _

_He stood over my parent's bodies, looking up at me. He was made of shadows and his cape completely covered his body. At the bottom of his cape, there were dark swirls of smoke. _

_Next, the tent was on fire, and I lost sight of batman and my parents. I screamed as the fire licked me and jumped up in front of me. I felt it burn me, and I fell backwards off the platform. I fell for what seemed like hours, screaming as I plunged deep into a sea of fire. And then came the worst part…_

_There was complete darkness, everywhere I looked. Batman appeared and walked up to me. "You told my secret," he said._

_"No, I didn't. There's nothing to tell!" I said, looking up at him. His cowl was off, but it was too dark to see his face. A man walked up behind him. I looked up at the two._

_"Dick." Batman said panicky, his body showing no sign of movement, standing there like a statue. "Dick." He called again._

_"No! I didn't tell! I promise I didn't tell!" He leapt forward and I felt him shake me._

"Dick!" I opened my eyes to see Mr. Wayne shaking me awake. I was breathing hard and there were tears streaming from my eyes. I was shocked when Mr. Wayne suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

I yelped in pain as his hug hurt my burses and aching ribs from the JDC. He immediately let go and held me back to look at me. I crossed me arms in front of me and lowered my head. My tears were calming now.

"Dick?" Mr. Wayne asked quietly, and he reached for me.

Involuntarily, I flinched, and I regretted it.

Mr. Wayne froze. "Dick, are you okay? I-I promise I won't hurt you." He said coming closer. He carefully took me into his arms again. I curled into the embrace.

"Dick, did they hurt you?" I thought back to the last time I was beaten. The Administrator had told me not to tell anyone what happened there, so I kind of lied to Mr. Wayne.

"I-I got in a fight, remember?" I asked. His grip tightened a little.

"Did you get into more than one fight?" he asked.

"Yes."

And how many of those fights included other children?"

I hesitated. "One," I finally answered.

Mr. Wayne nodded, "And the other fights were with the adults?"

"Yes."

"And you were hit in all of the fights?"

"Yes."

"Okay Dick, one last question. Did you hit anyone?" He asked and looked down at me.

I looked up at him and felt tears forming again. I looked down and answered "No."

My voice cracked and Mr. Wayne held me tightly again, still being careful not to hurt me. He rubbed circles into my back and told me I was going to be okay.

"Dick, please, promise me you'll tell me if something like this happens again, okay?"

I nodded, still sobbing.

"Sh, Sh, Dick, It's okay. I promise I won't let anyone hurt…" he stopped as he looked down. I looked up, wondering why he had stopped, and followed his gaze to the cape. I was holding the cape tightly in my hands. I looked back up at him.

A/N: I'm going to have a Short POV for Bruce here. Sorry, but most of the story is about Dick and from his Point Of View, so it won't be very long.

^Bruce's POV^

I stopped when my eyes locked onto a piece of cloth. Dick was holding it firmly in his small hands. Still holding Dick, I freed one hand and also held part of the cloth. I looked at Dick who was staring at me with his big blue eyes. He looked at me questioningly, obviously not knowing that I had given him the cape. I let go and hugged him closer.

_Through all that has happened to him since I gave it to him, he's kept it, _I thought.

Eventually, Dick fell asleep in my arms and I set him down in bed. I went downstairs.

I found Alfred coming out of the kitchen. "Master Bruce, is everything alright?" He asked.

"Fine Alfred," I said, and told him of the events that had just happened.

"Beaten?" Alfred asked, shaking his head. "This world certainly does need a lot of justice. The poor boy has been through enough!"

I nodded. "You'll have to look at him in the morning; I don't know how bad it is."

With that, I went to the Batcave to work on finding Joker and a couple of new projects. Not only was I tracking Joker, but I was also tracking down Dick's Parent's Murderer, a man named Zucco. Now, I also had to find out about the keepers of the Juvenile Detention Center. And to think that I had just donated to them to get them a new building for sleeping quarters.

Looking at it all, this kid had been wronged a lot, more times and worse than anyone disserved, especially him. I remember how he looked at me, his eyes a bright, big, electric blue, like bright sapphires. He smiled at me when I met him in the lobby of the JDC, even though he had probably just been beaten.

Looking at who I am and all I do, this kid makes me realize something. I've been sloppy lately, caring less and less about who gets hurt when I go out at night. I was more aggressive, and I hurt the criminals more than even they disserved… mostly. Either way I looked at it, I had become cold. I didn't care for anyone, and I didn't care about protecting the citizens as much as just making the villains pay.

Then there is the factory. If I hadn't realized Dick was in there, I would have killed him. No one would have even known, not even me. I would have been a murderer and I never would have known. Next time, it could have been a small family, or a father, or mother. I could have killed any kid that might have been hiding in the other nearby buildings, runaways. Luckily for me, this is the first time I was careless enough to blow something up, and the warehouse was the only structure affected.

Still, if I hadn't met Dick, I would have killed someone eventually. Now though, I was going to try harder. I sent a silent promise to Dick; I was going to care more. I was going to fight for a purpose. I was going to fight to make the city safer for him. I was going to fight to protect, not to hurt.

_I promise, I'm going to change, starting now._

A/N: Well, there you have it. In case you didn't notice, we just passed our climax. Climax: The point in the story in which the character shows a dramatic change. But don't worry, the story isn't over yet. Also, instead of making a sequel, I'm going to include it into this story, Okay? I know this chapter was short, sorry. Hopefully, the next one will be longer.

Please, Read and Review!


	7. Chapter 7 - Lost in the Fire

Chapter 7 – Lost in the Fire

A/N: Well then, here is chapter seven, hope you like it.

^Bruce's POV^

I was fast asleep for at least a couple of hours. It was really early in the morning when I woke up. Something wasn't right. As I opened my eyes groggily, I coughed. There was smoke around the room, which meant the mansion was on fire.

The mansion had been on fire before, so I wasn't in a hurry to get out. The fire didn't scare me, and I wasn't in the center of the house. I opened the door and stepped back, the whole hallway was set aflame. This fire had been burning for some time.

I groggily closed the door and walked to the window. I still wasn't completely awake yet as I opened the window. It opened gracefully and I slipped out.

I could hear fire-fighters so I knew the mansion would be okay, it wouldn't completely burn down, and the last time it burned I re-enforced it with steel, the bottom floor's walls had metal support beams.

I was glad my room was on the lower half of the mansion so I didn't have to find a difficult way down. I simply jumped out into the air, bending my legs to absorb the impact as I hit the ground.

Adrenalin definitely wasn't pumping because I was still tired. The fire didn't seem like a big deal.

As I walked to the front of the house, the fire truck's sirens started to clear my head. As I walked up to Alfred, I felt that there was something I was forgetting. Something irreplaceable.

It all became clear when I saw the worry on Alfred's face.

"Master Bruce, where is Master Dick?!" Alfred asked concerned, "Have you seen him yet?!"

I looked back to the mansion, my face turning white. "Dick?" I whispered under my breath, and I broke into a run towards the burning mansion. A fire-fighter caught me by the arm and another came to help him.

"DICK!" I called out.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wayne, you can't go back in!" I struggled in their arms, trying to break free, "We'll do everything we can to find him," The fighter said as he motioned to the others. As the fighters neared the house, something strange happened.

Unexpectedly, there was an explosion. The fighters all stepped back, but I froze where I was. A few seconds passed, but it felt like hours. I fell to my hands and knees.

_What have I done?! What did I bring him into?! _I thought. Then the full force hit me. I remembered his big, blue, shining eyes as I tried to blink back tears. _I killed him…_

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne," A fireman said. He knelt down and placed a hand on my shoulder. "We have just conformed that the house was intentionally burned, and a bomb was placed on the second floor."

I looked to the ground and felt a few tears slip down my cheeks.

_If I was Batman, right now, Dick would be safe. I could have saved him. And I wouldn't be so weak, and I certainly wouldn't cry._

My fists clenched the grass and I arched inward. Dick, he was really dead. His parents murdered, he gets adopted by Joker, he is beaten, and now he just dies. And the worst part of it, I could have stopped it all.

I could have saved his parents, I could have stopped joker from escaping jail, and I could have adopted him before he went to the Juvenile Detention Center. In truth, there was a lot I could have done, but I didn't.

Suddenly, the fire-fighter next to me stood and stumbled back. I barely noticed as tears strolled down my face. I was startled by a sudden voice next to me.

"Mr. Wayne, are you okay?!" it asked. The voice was small, smooth, and concerned. I looked up slowly.

There, sitting on his knees, was Dick. He looked at me, his eyes big and worried. I sat up and stared at him for a moment. Without warning, I took him into a tight embrace. He squirmed a little, but didn't push away. I sobbed and kissed his hair.

I held him back to look at him and saw that he only had a few burns on his face and the cape was draped over his back. Dick looked down, almost guiltily.

"Dick, what's wrong? Are you okay?" The boy turned his head to the side, and then looked up at the burning remains of the mansion. The fire glistened in the tears in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, looking back to the ground. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Dick, what happened?"

"I-I, I'm the reason it burned down." He whispered, still barely audible. "I'm so sorry," he repeated. The tears fell down his face and he turned away further.

"Dick, what happened? Did you start the fire? There was a bomb, you couldn't possibly have…"

"No," he interrupted, "I didn't start the fire, but if I were you," He said standing, "I would send me back where you found me."

I watched as he walked away and some fighters checked him over.

A/N: I know it was short, but I'll try to make it longer next time. Please Review!


	8. Chapter 8 - I'm Bad for Your Own Good

Chapter 8 – I'm Bad for Your Own Good

A/N: Bruce has another house that is an average two-story house. After all, would the Batman be unprepared for such a little thing as a fire? No! And what billionaire doesn't have at least one spare home? It talks about it in the chapter, I just didn't want it to be confusing. Anyways, the house is the setting here…

^Bruce's POV^

Dick ignored me the rest of the night and all throughout the next day. Every time I tried to speak to him, he would look down and try to ignore me. Even when I made him look up, he cast his eyes down and to the side. Later in the day, however, his plans changed.

Every moment, Dick pestered me. Every chance Dick had to aggravate me, he fully exploited and deployed. He spilled milk on my paperwork, asked a million questions, and constantly frowned; never smiling and always taunting me with childish games like sticking his tongue out at me. By the time dinner came along, I was at the end of my rope.

"Dick, eat your vegetables" I said, looking at his barely touched plate.

Dick looked up at me in defiance, jutting his chin out. "No." He bobbed his head as he said it.

I had put up with his immature behavior for the last few hours, but now, I had had it! I stood and walked over to him, and he sat with his arms crossed over his chest. I grabbed one of his arms and pulled him up. I didn't know what his game was or what kind of reaction he wanted out of me, but I knew that I'd had more than enough.

He struggled, trying to pull away as I led him down the hall. I stopped at a bed-room that locked from the outside. I opened the door and roughly pushed him in. He fell to the ground but quickly re-stood.

"You'll stay in here, Dick, until you can learn how to behave yourself!" I slammed the door and began to walk down the hall.

_"Why don't you just send me back?!"_ He yelled at the top of his lungs. I stopped.

I turned and walked back to the door; finally understanding Dick's actions. He wasn't just acting out at all.

I slowly and quietly opened the door. Dick was in the same spot as when I left him, his eyes still flaring in defiance.

"Dick," I asked, "do you want me to take you back?" I was calm and watched him worriedly.

He held his gaze steady and cold. "Yes."

I came in and stood directly in front of him, making him look up as I towered over his small body. In one hand, he held the cape as the other side was on the floor. He caught me looking at it.

"Dick, if you lived with Batman, would you still want to leave?" The boy looked up at me, startled. He momentarily lost his focus and I caught the deep sadness that was hidden in his big blue eyes, and there was worry and fear.

He didn't answer. Instead, he looked down again. "M-Mr. Wayne," he began, and I noticed that he had never called me Bruce, not once.

*Dick's POV*

"M-Mr. Wayne," I started, "It's not you, I promise." I looked down at my feet again, not having the courage to look at him. "I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me, but…" I didn't know how to go on.

"Dick, something happened last night… What was it? Why do you want me to take you back? You'll be beaten, and I don't want that to happen. I want to help you; to protect you, but I can't if you don't let me." I looked up at him, my head still down.

"Mr. Wayne…"

"Bruce," He interrupted me, "My friends call me Bruce, you know." I nodded and continued.

"Bruce, I don't want you to get hurt as much as you want to help me. You have to send me back." Bruce watched me. I was getting tired of this conversation. Whatever it came down to, Bruce had to send me back. He wasn't safe.

I flashed back to last night, just as I woke up…

_The smoke awakened me and I jumped out of bed. Adrenalin pumped through my heart as I ran to my window. I jerked at it and fell backwards, nearly popping my arms out of their sockets. The window wouldn't open as I pulled and pushed at it. I looked down and was surprised to see that the window had been nailed shut. I turned around and saw that the door had caught fire. I grabbed the cape off of my bed._

_Wrapping myself in the black cloth, I burst through the door. Luckily for me, the cape was fireproof. I clambered into the hallway, looking around quickly to see fire lacing the walls. I clambered into the next room over that had a window._

_I pulled the window up swiftly and looked out. There was a branch nearby so I ran and jumped into space. I caught the branch and the cape fell and fluttered into the grass. I swung on the branch, let myself fall, and caught a lower branch. I swung on a few more branches before I made it to the ground. I picked up the cape and started heading towards the front of the mansion._

_I stopped suddenly when I heard footsteps. I ran to a nearby tree and climbed up, hiding in its branches. I didn't know why I hid at first; it was most likely Alfred, Bruce, or some officer or fire-fighter, but my instincts told me to hide. I soon figured out why as three men walked out from the tree line. Each one had a canister of gasoline. They threw them in and I heard the fire crackle as it lit_

_"Did you set the bomb?" The front man asked, facing the fire. I couldn't see any of their faces, but his voice seemed familiar. My blood ran cold._

_"Yah, I set it," Said the next man._

_"And the window? Did you make sure he couldn't escape?"_

_The third man held up a nail gun. "Yah, that kids either dead or going to be."_

_They were after me, but why? My head was groggy, and the man turned around._

_My heart stopped beating as I saw him. One eye had shined while the other was a deep brown. His two different colored eyes were accompanied by a creepy smile. He laughed and walked through the trees, his brothers following him. They were his brothers, I knew that. I knew his name, his job, his personality. I had found out so much about him in one night; the night he killed my parents. His name was Tony Zucco, and he had ruined my life. He was a murderer._

_I turned back to the house and thought, _What have I done?_ Mr. Wayne was in danger now, all because of me. Zucco was going to kill me and Mr. Wayne. Unless Mr. Wayne sent me away…_

So no matter what, I was going to act up. I was going to break things, and hit, and cry. Whatever it took, he was going to send me back.

I suddenly burst out, "I hate you! I want to leave!" I jerked away from Mr. Wayne and he looked at me, shocked.

"Dick, I…"

"No! I HATE YOU! Don't you get it?! SEND ME BACK! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" I was screaming and crying. I curled myself into a corner, pulling my knees up to my chest and burying my face.

I heard the door close as Mr. Wayne left.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry."

^Bruce's POV^

"No! I HATE YOU! Don't you get it?! SEND ME BACK! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" I watched as he screamed and backed into the corner. I stayed a moment, but it was no use. I stood and left. After I closed the door, froze. I just stood in the hallway for a moment, not completely understanding what had just happened.

"I'm so sorry." I barely heard through the door. He whispered again, "I'm so sorry."

Whatever was going on, I had to do something. I didn't believe Dick meant what he said, especially now.

I went downstairs, still thinking it over. Still, what if he had meant it? Should I send him back? No, I couldn't. At the very least I had promised him I wouldn't let the JDC hurt him again. Maybe I could fund a new orphanage and have him sent there. I could even name it after him.

I walked into the large living room and sat on the couch. Alfred walked in moments later.

"Dick said he hated me." I told him, and he nodded.

"I heard the whole thing sir. But, if I'm not mistaken, he also said something about your safety?" Alfred cocked his eyebrow in that way he does when he asks a question. "Perhaps, Master Bruce, he doesn't know you can protect yourself. Perhaps he needs to know you can both protect yourself and him."

I stood quickly. It all made a strange sense.

"I know what I have to do. Thanks Alfred." I turned and began climbing the stairs.

*Back to Dick's POV*

I heard a knock on the door as Mr. Wayne came back in. I barely looked up. I was still in the corner, but I had grabbed the Batman's cape and was now clutching it tightly in my hands. Mr. Wayne walked up to me and looked down coldly.

"Follow me," he said and turned around. I stood and followed him out the door. He was finally taking me back; he was going to be safe.

We got in the car and drove away from the descent sized house that was Bruce Wayne's spare home. We drove in the exact direction that I had expected. After ten minutes or so, the JDC came into view. Mr. Wayne looked ahead coldly, his face hard. I tried to keep my expression blank, but even my still face must have looked sad. My eyes always showed everything. I stared blankly, yet I knew Mr. Wayne saw my emotions. I turned and looked out the window.

"I thought you wanted me to take you back?"

"I do," I said, glad that my voice didn't crack.

"It's okay Dick." I started up, looking back as we passed the Juvenile Detention Center. I looked at Mr. Wayne and he looked at me with a smile. But something about his smile seemed off. It was creepy, and he was kind of scaring me.

My eyes got wide as we came up to the burned down manor. The car stopped and we got out.

"So, you caused my house to burn down," he said as we stood in the ashes. I looked at him, wide-eyed. Was he angry? He should be angry, but was he going to hurt me. He turned to me with a smile. His smile disappeared as he saw the fear on my face.

_What Dick saw was that when Bruce smiled at him, it was creepy. There was some other emotion in there, an emotion Dick thought of as hate. But what was really on Bruce's face was uncertainty. He had no idea as to if what he was doing was the right thing or not. Still, he wasn't angry._

I should have seen this coming. Mr. Wayne's home burnt down because of me, and now he was angry.

"Follow me," he said and walked into the woods.

_Great, the woods _I thought, _no one will see me here. No one will come to save me._ We walked for a minute and came to a river. Within another thirty seconds we were standing in front of a waterfall. I looked up at Mr. Wayne, but he was facing the waterfall, not me. We walked to the edge, right by the waterfall. I slipped on the rocks and fell forward. Mr. Wayne caught me before I could fall onto the rocks and into the water.

This was it. He was holding my arm now, so he could easily throw me into the water. I wouldn't be able to run, and he would drown me. He would hold me under until I was dead, and then he would bury me under a tree, or in one of the many small caves that lined the cliff by the fall. Maybe he would just sink me with a large rock.

I looked up with wide eyes, my heart beating quickly. Mr. Wayne finally looked down when I started panting and tried to move away. He turned and let go of my arm, a questioning look on his face.

"Dick? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"A-a-are you g-going to kill me n-now?" I stuttered out. Mr. Wayne was stunned.

"Kill you?! Is that why you thought I brought you here?!" He started laughing. "Dick, I promised you I wouldn't hurt you." He said seriously. "Come on, I just have something to show you.

I nodded and followed him. He suddenly jumped and went right through the waterfall. I stared, stunned, and then ran up to it. I leaned in close and screamed as a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me through. I coughed as I swallowed a little water.

"You're okay Dick. We're just on the other side of the fall."

"Other side?" I looked around. It was dark and I couldn't see anything. Suddenly, Mr. Wayne took a step

Forward and the lights flicked on. I stared in wonder as a large cave was illuminated. I saw the Bat-mobile, a computer, and Batman's suit. I looked up at Mr. Wayne wide-eyed. He walked forward and turned.

"Dick, I am the Batman."

A/N: Well, that was a longer chapter than the previous. Chapter nine is well under way and I should have it posted soon. I hoped you guys liked this! Please Review!


	9. Chapter 9 - Telling the Truth

Chapter 9 - Telling the Truth

A/N: This is probably going to be a short chapter, but I'll have the next one up quickly. Sorry.

*In the Bat-cave*

Dick looked up at Bruce. Bruce figured he was just surprised, but in actuality, he was scared. Everything seemed to frighten him lately, the Juvenile Detention Center, Tony Zucco, Bruce, leaving Bruce, staying with Bruce, everything. Now, he was scared again.

Bruce turned to Dick as Dick backed away. He backed into a wall, his eyes wide.

"Dick," Bruce said in a stern voice. This had to stop, the kid couldn't be afraid anymore. He had to know that he was protecting him; Batman was protecting him!

Dick sank to the floor and tried to disappear through the wall. How much he wished he could just melt away. He remembered the night with Batman. He was scared, and threatened. He always remembered what would happen if he told anyone about that night. A few tears ran down his face.

As Mr. Wayne neared, he cried out. "I promise, I didn't tell anyone! Not in the Detention Center, not with you, not to the police, not to anyone! I didn't tell anyone what happened!"

Bruce looked down at him. Was that what this was about now? "Dick, I know. It's okay; I wouldn't have hurt you anyways, never." He smiled, "Did I really scare you that bad?" He asked, kneeling down in front of the small body of the boy.

The boy nodded as his breaths calmed. "Dick, I brought you here because of how you've been acting lately. You said you were trying to protect me, but I think I can help you. You need to tell me what's wrong."

Nodding slowly, the boy stood and walked with Bruce. They sat down and Dick told him everything.

He told him that his parent's death was no accident, and that the murderer's name was Tony Zucco. He told him that Zucco burned the mansion trying to kill him. And he told him that he was trying to get sent away because he was worried that Bruce would get hurt.

By the time they finished, it was well into the early morning hours. Dick yawned sleepily, still holding the Cape. He looked down at it.

"I suppose you want this back now," he said and held it out to Bruce.

Bruce shook his head. "No, you keep it. I gave it to you, after all. Come-on, I'll take you to bed."

They walked back to the burned manor and got in the car. Dick had fallen asleep within the minute. As they arrived at the spare home, Bruce carefully lifted Dick and Alfred opened the front door. He took him to bed and tucked him in.

*Dick's POV*

At about noon…

Dick thrashed and turned, sweating and whimpering. His dreams made him asphyxiate.

_Running… Why am I running? I look back and see darkness, the darkness is following me. Every step I take brings it closer. Then the darkness catches me and I fall. I'm falling, my hands searching. Instead of hitting the ground, I'm caught in strong arms. I look up and see Mr… Bruce_

_ Bruce held me, and he was wearing his cowl. We flew through the air and I twisted to see two large bat wings. We flew for a moment, and I watched the muscles in the dark wings stretch. They disappeared at moments as the darkness hid them at times. I listened to their flapping for another moment before turning back to Bruce. I felt safe, and secure, but that only lasted a moment…_

_As I looked at him, I saw him shift his gaze to me, looking at me from the corner of his eye. I couldn't see his eyes under the mask. Suddenly, he looked disgusted and dropped me; I screamed and reached out for him. He was streaking down, only a foot or two behind me in the descent._

_His arms stretched out and I saw long black claws at the end of his fingers. He held my arms too tightly, and I looked at him pleadingly. Then, to my dismay, his face changed and turned into a long, thin version of a bat's face. He screeched loudly and his fangs showed inches from my face. I screamed again and turned my head, shutting my eyes tightly._

_Then his clawed hands were gone and I hit the ground hard. It was still pitch black, except for the small light that shone around me and didn't seem to have a source._

_Then I heard a soft, sweet, luring melody being played on a piano. There was another dim glow and I found myself in a room made of black glass marble. In the center was a grand black piano with a man sitting and playing. The music calmed me, and I felt safe again. I walked forward, or, more like, was pulled forward by the long sweet notes that tugged at my heart. I didn't know anyone that played the piano, but it didn't matter._

_I neared and then sat right on the bench. I sat next to the man, never looking up at him. I watched his hands move swiftly across the keys and starred in wonder. The man chuckled. Smiling, I forced my eyes to move to the man in reaction to his laughter. I smiled at him for a moment, but my smile disappeared and I stood._

_Like a moth to the flame, I had wandered too near, and now I would be burned. The room lit with flames as I stared at the evilly twisted smile on the face of Tony Zucco. I backed up but gave out a quick yelp as I stepped to close to the flames that boxed me in. From the flames walked Zucco's brothers, flanking him on either side._

_"What's the matter kid? Bat got your tongue?" I looked wide-eyed and in horror as Bruce ran out of the fire and launched himself in front of me. As he did, Zucco pulled a gun. There was a loud bang that was accompanied by a snapping sound, the sound of a gun and the sound of wires snapping. _

_I stared down as the black marble floor had red blood flow on it. The blood was red and orange as the fire danced on it in a reflection. The reflection was everywhere I looked. On the marble, in the blood, in Zucco's eyes. Everywhere held the reflection of my parents, and Bruce, lying on the floor. Broken, bleeding, and dead._

_"You're next kid," Tony said as he raised the gun once more. I screamed as the room was once more completely illuminated with the spitting of fire from the gun._

_Bang!_

And I woke up screaming.

Bruce ran into the room. "Dick! Are you okay? Dick."

He came to the bed and pulled me into his arms. I cried and curled up into him, clenching my fists tightly in his shirt.

"Sh, Dick, it's okay. It was just a bad dream, you're alright." He said, rubbing circles into my back. I couldn't breathe correctly and I found myself slipping. "Dick?" Bruce looked down and saw me struggling with my breaths.

He held me back, "Dick, calm down, you need to breathe. Dick? Dick?!" He caught me and pulled me into a hug again, just as I passed out.

^Bruce's POV^

He passed out and I was relieved when his breathing calmed. I sat there and held him for a few minutes, just until I was sure he wouldn't wake up. Then I carefully laid him down and tucked him in.

The poor kid had had a few nightmares since he became my ward, but none of them were this dramatic, maybe one other. He wasn't well, that much I could tell. Looking at him now, he looked pale; well, paler than usual. I felt his head and it was too warm, burning even. Being out in the cold night air must have taken its toll.

I went down stairs and found the thermometer and medicine. As I went down, I looked out the window and saw that a storm was starting up. I walked back into Dick's room and took his temperature. The thermometer beeped and read one-o-two. I sighed and poured some medicine into a little, clear cup.

"Dick," I whispered and shook his shoulder gently. The boy slowly sat up and looked at me. "Here, take this," I said, handing him the cup. He nodded and swallowed it down, obviously not caring what it was. With a groan he handed the cup back to me and lay back down. I stood and once again left the room.

An hour later, I was under the mansion, sitting at the Bat-computer. I typed the name "Tony Zucco" and a picture popped up on the screen, accompanied by a long personal record. I saw everything from scandalous crimes and robbery to vandalism and blackmail. Now, he had also committed murder.

I made up my mind, right then and there. Zucco wasn't going to get away with this. My parent's killer had gotten away many years ago, and I couldn't have done anything then. But Dick deserves so much more. No one should get away with murder. This time, I was going to catch him. Zucco was going to jail for this, and I was going to make sure of it.

A/N: Well, I hope you guys liked it! Next chapter… The Birth of Robin; The Boy Wonder! Please read and review!


	10. Chapter 10 - The Birth of Robin

Chapter 10 - The Birth of Robin; the Boy Wonder!

A/N: This is the first chapter with Robin in it! So, here it is… The Birth of Robin; the Boy Wonder!

*Dick's POV*

I reawakened that night around six a-clock. My head still hurt, but I didn't care. I got dressed and stumbled down the stairs. Alfred was just setting the table in the dining room.

"Ah, Master Dick, I was just about to wake you." He said as he brought out a plate of meat and vegetables. He set it on the table.

"Where is Bruce?" I asked, sitting down and picking up my fork.

"He left several hours ago, which reminds me; Master Bruce said you had a high fever this morning." He came over with another cup and felt my head. He nodded and handed me the cup of medicine. I gulped it down; it tasted like bubblegum. "Maybe you should stay in bed," Alfred said as he looked the temperature he had just taken. "You still have a fever of a-hundred-and-one degrees."

I nodded, not wanting to argue, and walked to my room. I wondered where Bruce was. I looked out the window and a strange feeling came over me. Without really thinking, I put on a jacket and climbed out the window.

I walked quietly, not at all paying attention to where I was going. I walked in silence, without thought, my feet moving without meaning. Alfred and Bruce would be mad, but I would find my way back.

The sky was dark and dreary. The rain started with a drizzle, then began to poor, but I didn't mind it. I was wet, and it was a cold day because spring hadn't come around. It was one of those days, during the month or two before spring, where everything was wet and cool. Still, I didn't mind the rain. In all actuality, I kind of liked it. I closed my eyes and listened to the rain around me. I liked how it drowned out all the other noises, like being inside a big drum where I could only hear the thunder and taping of raindrops.

I was walking and staring down at the ground when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw a man looking down at me.

"Hey, aren't you Dick Grayson? The kid Bruce Wayne adopted?" He asked.

I told him he was mistaken and tried to walk on. He stopped me again.

"No, I'm sure of it. Say, should you be out here alone? Are you lost?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." I said and pushed passed him. I jogged around a corner and disappeared into an alley.

I walked on blankly, still not paying any attention. I walked out the other side of the alley and stumbled as I accidentally walked straight off the curb and into a collection of runoffs. Someone honked and I jumped back, watching as the car drive by, making the water split and splash beneath it.

I took a different route, yet again altering my course. I don't know how, maybe it was fate, but I stopped at the edge of a vast, open lot. The ground was plain, dark brown dirt and a few weeds. The few blades of grass moved in the wind and rain, and the whole ground was muddy and had collected some puddles here and there. It was a large square that was mostly empty. The only things in the lot were a few wooden poles that carried wires and a large trailer. I walked off the sidewalk ant onto the empty lot.

I came up to the trailer and stopped in front of the door. There was a golden, faded star at the center of the top and a single name underneath it. In faded red, rusty letters read "Graysons". There was a loud crack as thunder split the air, causing a ringing silence as loud as the wind. Lightning flashed and again, the thunder roared, bringing back the sounds of the rain.

I remembered how many times my family and I had walked into that trailer after a performance. I remembered the time I was sick and was cooped up in that trailer for a whole week. After that, I thought I had never wanted to see it again. I even remember the new costumes my mom had been working on. Mami hadn't finished Tati's costume, which was the only reason we hadn't worn them that night.

My mind flashed back to when my mami had told me to try the costume on and make sure it fit.

_I walked out of the trailer and to my mother. The fabric was still tight and hadn't loosened yet. I pulled at the sleeve uncomfortably._

_ "Mami, trebuie să poarte acest lucru? Şi de ce-l au atât de multe culori?" _(Mommy, do I have to wear this? And why does it have so many colors?)_I asked, letting a little bit of a whining voice seep into my words._

_"Oh, Richard," Mami said as she knelled down to my eye level, "When I see you up there, I think of a little Robin, the way you flutter around in the air."_

_Mr. Haley had walked up behind us and he laughed. I made an angry pout face._

_"Well, Robin, I think it looks daring." Mr. Haley said placing a hand on my shoulder. My mother giggled and I couldn't help but smile._

_My mother lifted her hand and touched the yellow golden 'R' that was surrounded by a black circle. My suit had a bright red top and dark green tights. It had golden lacing, short sleeves, and a golden laced collar. _

_I smiled at my mami and turned to go back inside before anyone else saw me._

I had tears on my cheek and was now standing in the trailer, the suit in my hands. I walked over to my old bed and sat down.

I listened to the even tapping of rain on the thin metal roof of the trailer. The rhythmic notes soothed me, as soft and as constant as a hummingbird's heartbeat.

I had almost fallen asleep when I heard an evil cackling and the splashing of puddles. Someone was out there, walking around behind the other side of the trailer. I looked out the window and was surprised to see Tony Zucco standing out behind the trailer. I ducked down, suddenly afraid. What was I going to do?

I stopped and thought for a moment. Zucco killed my parents. He should pay, and I know the police can handle him, or that somehow he will find justice. But I can't help but think it should be me. I should catch him. I needed to avenge my parents; I needed to make them proud.

I looked at the costume in my hands as another flash lit the room and the rain poured harder. I ran to my old drawers and opened the drawer that held all of my previous costumes. I pulled out a mask from when I was six and a cape from a year ago.

Once I was dressed, I quietly slid out the door. In front of the trailer was a pile of old, rotten wood planks and a long, hollow metal bar. I picked up the bar and silently made my way to the top of the trailer, the rain booming in my ears. The beating of my heart sped and intensified to match the quick, pelting rain.

^Batman's POV^

And here I was. It didn't take long to find Zucco; he wasn't very smart. Still, I couldn't be one to talk since I was the one tide to a telephone pole in an empty lot. And, oh ya, I was soaking wet. I certainly did a good job at getting myself into trouble this time.

Zucco opened his jacket and pulled out a gun. He pointed it at me with an evil smile. There was a flash of lightning that struck not even a hundred feet away, and it temporarily blinded me. There was a loud booming, and I thought it was all over. Imagine my surprise when I open my eyes only to find that the loud booming that made my ears ring had not been from the gun, but from the thunder combined with a metal pole striking Zucco's head.

Zucco dropped the gun and it sunk into the mud. I stared, wide eyed and in horror at what I saw before me. There, standing behind Zucco, was Dick, dressed in one of his old costumes. In his small hands was a metal pole.

Zucco stood and turned, then stumbled a little when he saw the small boy standing behind him. Of course, Dick wasn't strong enough to knock him out; especially with him being sick and out in the cold rain.

Zucco drew a knife and moved toward Dick. I tried to loosen my hands, but the ropes wouldn't budge. Dick swung the pole but Zucco's free hand caught it and pushed it back, making Dick stumble and fall backwards. In another moment, Zucco crashed into him, making Dick fall completely onto the ground. Dick grabbed each of Zucco's wrists, but Zucco's hand with the knife continued towards Dick's throat. Dick let go of Zucco's wrist and punched him in the face, startling him. Zucco dropped the knife.

With a quick twist, Dick turned onto his stomach in the mud and grabbed hold of the knife. Twisting into a strange, half sitting position, he raised his hand and let the knife fly. My eyes widened in surprise as the knife came straight towards me. It landed in the wood with a _thunk_ and stuck like paste.

I looked up to see Zucco on Dick's back as Dick struggled to get away. Zucco wrapped his arm around Dick's neck, holding him in a head lock. Dick struggled and coughed as the arm around his neck and the rain suffocated him. Zucco stood, painfully dragging Dick to his feet. He dragged Dick to the trailer where a crowbar was propped against the side. My eyes widened and I looked to the knife. I twisted and got the ropes close enough to the knife to cut them.

Zucco had a hand on Dick's neck and was holding him halfway up the side of the trailer. Again, the boy struggled, kicking as his feet couldn't touch the ground. Zucco's other hand lifted the crowbar just as the ropes slipped off my wrists.

I leapt into the air and came down hard, right on top of Tony Zucco. Zucco fell unconscious and Dick hit the ground. I cuffed Zucco and ran to his side.

He was coughing and breathing heavily, but otherwise, he was all right. I checked him over again, just to be sure. He was obviously still sick, and he needed to get dry and warm. I gently pulled him along and signaled the Bat-mobile.

We sat in the car silently, neither one of us knowing what to say. As I drove into the tunnel under the burned manor, I had one question.

"Where did you learn how to throw knifes?" I looked down at the boy who also looked at me.

"An old friend of mine from the circus taught me a few years back." He replied.

My eyes widened. "So, you threw a knife at me… based on something you learned when you were like five?!"

Dick looked at me out of the corner of his eye and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back a little.

"So does this mean I can be your sidekick?" I looked at him. He had taken of his mask so his big blue eyes shown.

"No." I said in all seriousness. On the inside, I was still smiling a little though. It was dangerous, but with some training, well… the idea didn't seem half bad.

The boy looked at me and pouted. "Pwaese?"

I am Batman, the Dark Knight, the Masked Crusader, and to some people, Bat out of Hell. I fight crime in the worst city any member of the Justice league would dare to set a foot in. Even Superman would follow my orders if I was serious, and I was always serious. There wasn't a person on Earth who wouldn't be frightened by me.

Yet, sitting here, with an eight year old boy who is incredibly cute and has the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen; even my heart melted.

We arrived at the cave and jumped out of the car. The boy immediately came to stand in front of me.

"No," I said again, but it lacked conviction. The boy knew he was winning.

Making his eyes impossibly big, pouting, and tilting his head down, he asked again. "Pleeeeaaaaase?"

I looked down at him and found that his big blue eyes were beating my death-glare. I sighed and slouched a little in defeat; he was just too cute.

"Oh, all right." I said quietly. As soon as the words left my mouth I heard a happy squeal. Dick jumped in excitement and, surprisingly, hugged me. I looked down at him, startled, but hugged him back. I smiled a little.

"So, what are we going to call you?"

Dick stepped back and looked down in deep thought. His eyes fell upon the 'R' on his chest.

"My name's Robin." He looked up at me and smiled.

"Robin? Like the bird?" I asked. "Well okay then, Robin. It's late and you need to get to bed." Dick nodded and headed towards the elevator. He really was tired.

"Hey, Robin, you're not going to find a bed up there." He stopped and looked at me.

"Oh, ya!" He turned and trotted past me. I smiled and shook my head as I followed him.

I had a feeling that this was going to take a lot of work, time, and patience. This kid was going to test my limits, I could just tell.

Still, in the end, I think it'll be worth it.

A/N: Well, there you have it! The Birth of Robin; the Boy Wonder! The next chapter will be the beginning of the end. This is where I thought of making a sequel, but decided to make it part of this story. Hope you guys liked this! Please Read and Review!


	11. Sequel Notice

I have been asking around to see if I should write a sequel to this story, and the most common answer is yes. Therefor, this is a message (Sorry, it's not a chapter) saying that I'm going to continue this story as a sequel. The first story, "Saving One-Another,"is officially completed. Still, you can keep an eye out for the sequel about Robin meeting the League and the Joker's return. It isn't done yet!

Hope you guys enjoyed this story and look for the sequel! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!

Special thanks to these people who reviewed and encouraged me to write this story:

Hyper Blossom-Z

Vandalia Sakura

lindz567

Katieisnotinteresting

TheBatmanlover4evagirl

IndiaMoore

and

Phoenix M. 101

Thanks for reviewing!

And thanks to everyone for over 1,000 views!


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